The day before I fly to Philadelphia on Northwest Airlines, through their Detroit hub, I see a Wiredstory reporting that the Transportation Security Agency is suspending the CAPPS II (Continued Assaults on Personal Privacy and Sanity) system which inspired my earlier support of the Delta boycott. OK, I’ll confess, this is just a weak excuse for something to write about, since my “participation” in the boycott had no visible effect on me or Delta.
Although I just got a Delta Frequent Flyer statement a couple of days ago, reminding me I’m still enrolled in it, it’s been a long time since I’ve been on one of their planes, or any plane. The FF membership is a vestige of days of yore when I spent more time in the air, including regular trips to Seattle which were good for racking up miles. And the arrangements for this flight were made by our business office, who probably picked Northwest because we have a sweetheart deal with them, not because they’re concerned about my privacy. And surprisingly, although the Detroit routing seems geographically insane, the total trip time including layover is really no worse than any of the alternatives offered by other airlines. And the flight attendants might be more friendly.
Since I don’t fly much anymore, this will be my first post-9/11/2001 flight, so I’m not sure what to expect from the security folks. I’ve reminded myself to pack my Swiss Army Cybertool in my checked luggage, unhappily reconciling myself to the idea that I’ll be less prepared for whatever in-flight emergencies may arise. At least I’ll be able to look the part of travelling geek. The trip gave me an excuse to borrow a PowerBook from the library, complete with nifty carrying case with enough zippers and pockets to make James Bond (or at least Austin Powers) happy. It doesn’t have a wireless card, but nobody has to know that when I flip it open in the airport and complain loudly about the hick place not having WiFi support (unless somebody sitting next to me with a wireless-enabled machine has discovered that they do). I’ll know I’m really getting old if I return from this jaunt without at least one adventure worth reporting here. Having said that, I’ve probably jinxed myself to perpetual boredom. But watch this space anyway; if I have to, I might make something up.